Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: what landlords must fit, and what to buy
Every storey needs a smoke alarm and every room with a fixed fuel-burning appliance needs a carbon monoxide alarm. Here's exactly what the rules say, where to put each alarm, and a shopping list that meets them.
Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England have had to meet stricter alarm rules. They apply to most private tenancies, and councils can fine you up to £5,000 per breach if you don't put things right after a notice.
What the law requires
Smoke alarms: at least one on every storey that has a room used as living accommodation. A hall or landing counts as a room, so a two-storey house needs at least two alarms.
Carbon monoxide alarms: one in every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance. That means gas boilers, gas fires, wood burners and oil boilers. Gas cookers are excluded, and a purely decorative fireplace that doesn't work doesn't count. Bathrooms and toilets count as living accommodation.
On the first day of every new tenancy, you or someone acting for you must check each alarm works, and keep a record. The government suggests having the tenant sign the inventory to confirm the alarms were tested.
When a tenant reports a fault, you must repair or replace the alarm. Tenants are expected to try new batteries first.
The rules don't apply to lodgers who share your home, long leases, student halls, and a few other types. Licensed HMOs have equivalent conditions in their licence.
Where to put them
- Smoke alarms: on the ceiling of a circulation space, such as the hall and each landing.
- CO alarms: at head height on a wall or shelf, about 1 to 3 metres from the boiler, fire or stove.
What to buy
The regulations don't say which type to fit, but the government's guidance points to these standards and sealed batteries:
| Need | Look for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke alarm (one per storey) | Optical smoke alarm, 10-year sealed battery, marked BS EN 14604 | No battery changes for a decade; fewer false alarms near kitchens than ionisation types |
| CO alarm (each room with a boiler, fire or stove) | CO alarm, 10-year sealed battery, marked BS EN 50291 | The standard the guidance refers to; sealed battery means tenants can't remove it |
| Kitchen | Heat alarm as an extra, not a replacement | The guidance is clear a heat detector doesn't replace a smoke alarm |
| Deaf or hard-of-hearing tenant | Alarm with a vibrating pad or strobe | Part of your duty to make reasonable adjustments |
Shop by standard, not brand: search "10 year optical smoke alarm" and "10 year carbon monoxide alarm" at Screwfix, Toolstation or B&Q, and check the BS EN number on the packaging. Mains-wired, interlinked alarms are better again, but need an electrician.
What to do this week
- Walk each property: count storeys and rooms with a boiler, fire or stove, and check there's an alarm in each place the rules need one.
- Note the replace-by date printed on each alarm. Sealed alarms typically last 10 years.
- Add an alarm test line to your check-in inventory, and get it signed at every new tenancy.
General information, not legal advice. LandlordsReady is independent and not part of the government.